saying no

Earlier this month I had a post on getting to yes.  I talked about negotiating to find common ground.  Sometimes getting to yes first takes learning how to say no. Last week our email delivery team was dealing with an inventory problem.  We sent three emails to our customer base and anything further would be perceived as spam by our clients.  Of course a request came in late in the week for an email blast.  The marketing team filmed an on location video of our customers getting the most of our services, and worked with public relations to have the video air on a local news program.  The station posted the video on their site and marketing wanted to promote the piece via an email campaign.  Well, the answer was no, but we can't just say, "No, we don't have the inventory."   So, how can we communicate no in order to get to yes?

First, I think some praise is in order.  "Congratulations!  You did an amazing job on the video.  That is great for our company!  I understand why you want to launch the campaign this week and we can certainly use the publicity, but I'm afraid the open rate on the email is going to be really low.  We've already sent three emails this week, and another one from the company is going to come across as spam."  That's how you say, "No."

Let's work on getting to yes.  "So, instead of having a blast from the company this week why don't I do this for you?  We'll create a template for the account executives in the market.  If the email comes from the account executive it is more personal and more likely to be opened.  If that doesn't work for you, we can send it first thing next week ahead of some of the other emails that need to go out.  Or, if you really insist we'll send it tomorrow, but I want to reinforce that it will most likely not have the desired effect.  So, what do you say?"

Saying no in the right way can help you to more easily get to yes.  First, offer well deserved praise or understanding.  Next, explain why you are saying no.  Finally, offer some options.  Sometimes your customers aren't from outside the company.  They're you're colleagues.  When you are a service provider you have to treat your internal customers as well as you would treat your clients.

something that matters

Each day I receive one of Hugh MacLeod's gapingvoid cartoons. This was Hugh's cartoon from Friday. Last week was exhausting, and I was moving slowly when I saw this cartoon. I often reflect on the work that we do, and wind up asking myself whether or not we're doing something that matters. I want to make sure that when I go to the office on Monday that what we do has purpose, and that we can make a difference. We connect our members with our customers. We provide a platform to bring them together and hopefully everyone benefits. Of course, some benefit more than others and we have a client relations team that makes sure our customers are designing their pages on our platform to attract many members to their company. Shortly after seeing Hugh's cartoon I got an email from Cathy one of our relationship managers. We've been gathering testimonials from our customers and she forwarded one to me. Well, after reading it, Cathy sure made me feel that we're doing something that matters. One of her customers wasn't getting the returns they expected. Their platform page performance was trending nearly 50% below average. Cathy worked with them to change some images and other items on their page. In just one month the customer's performance is now trending 33% above average! Cathy is helping the small businesses that partner with us succeed. Cathy matters to her customers.

Cathy is one person who is part of one team that is part of the many teams that make a difference at my company. Over the years I have found that I am working with a group of people who are successful because what they do matters to them. They go out and do their job to make a difference, and when that happens our customers, our members and our company benefits. Everyone wins. Are you making a difference? Are you doing something that matters?

getting to yes

Last post I tried to form a habit. Well, it's weeks later and all I can say is life got in the way.  It's time to give it another shot. Years ago I sold ERP Software to mid-sized companies. The software company gave me a book to read, and then I had to read it again a couple of years later in business school.  It's called Getting to Yes. There is no business skill more important than bringing people to mutual agreement.

The line of business I work in caters to thousands of small customers.  For years we were the only company who provided our type of advertising platform.  This allowed the company to have strict credit and discounting policies.  If it didn't comply with the policy we said no.  It was black and white - non-negotiable.  Over the years, the company garnered a reputation for being difficult to work with and arrogant.  Of course we also started to face competitors and our sales growth slowed.

I spoke earlier about simplifying and our goals of increasing sales, average order size and retention rate.  We can't continue to be black and white in our policies if want to achieve these goals.  I was chatting with our EVP and she told me, "I want us to find a way to say yes."  That reminded me of the book I mentioned from business school.  We may think the discount the sales rep wants to offer is too high, or disagree with the customer's disputed payment, but we can't simply say, "No."  We have to find common ground.  We need to find a way to bring both parties to an agreement.  We need to get to yes.

simplify

I work in a very complex division of my company.  There are multiple advertising products to sell and several sales messages to pitch.  There are times when our sales reps lose focus and they're not sure what to sell and how to sell it.  Communication problems are prevalent.  Goals aren't clearly defined.  Budgets are too high.  The compensation plan recently changed.  Complexity creates a environment of fear.  Fear breeds upon itself.  It starts with, "I'm not good enough."  Soon enough it becomes, "My boss doesn't think I'm good enough."  Then, "I'm going to lose my job and that will hurt me."  Paralysis sets in and nothing is accomplished. What can we do?  Simplify!  My business line has a new EVP.  She has defined three goals.  1) Increase new sales; 2) Increase the average order size; 3) Increase our retention rate.  All projects and sales goals are evaluated on these three clearly defined, simple goals.  It's so much easier when you simplify.  You know where to direct your efforts.  You choose the products to sell that drive toward these goals.  You know what to do.  You are confident.  The budget is no longer too high and the compensation plan makes sense.  You can do this!

The KISS principle applied.  Keep It Simple and Straightforward.  There's no need to over complicate.  Set simple goals and create projects and products to achieve them.  It sets a winning attitude throughout the organization.

destination

I've been working at the same company for 11 years. In the days of building widgets that many years in a factory wasn't very long. Today the factories are largely gone and products are developed by the creative process. 11 years tenure in this kind of environment is more unusual. What keeps me at my company? I've been fortunate enough to have managers that put me in an environment where I could create. They gave me the space I needed to do my best work. Now that I'm in management, I do the same for the people who work with me. I do my best to prepare their workspace. It's my responsibility to plow the field so they can sow the seeds. I point out the destination and provide an environment where creative people can draw the map. Simon Sinek has written a book Start with Why. He writes about leadership. Almost all people can describe what we do. Some of those people can describe how we do it. But very few people can tell you why we do what we do. The best leaders start with why. When you start with why like minded people want to follow you. As a leader it is my job to inspire my team with a destination - the why. I then provide them with the support they need to tell me how we will get there. To do this I try to create an environment for success. I make sure I provide the tools and needed support, and leave adequate space for them to work in. I am not looking for face time or long hours on the job. I'm looking at the benefit of their creations, and the value they provide in getting us to our destination.

reputation

Repetition builds your reputation. Do you look up and smile as you walk down the hall or do you look down to avoid eye contact? Repetition builds your reputation. Do you always treat people with dignity and respect or can you be arrogant and belittling? Repetition builds your reputation. When you're under a deadline do you maintain a positive attitude or do you complain about expectations? Repetition builds your reputation. When a customer has a problem do you quickly respond or do you ignore them or pass the buck to someone else? Repetition builds your reputation. Do you complain about problems or do you try to solve them? Repetition builds your reputation. A friend of mine has a maxim, "Always do what's right, even when no one is looking." That is the essence of strong character. Reputation is character's shadow. If you concentrate on growing your character the shadow it casts will be long and wide. Be positive. Make the tough choices. Do the right thing. Be consistent. A positive reputation will surely follow.

perception

Perception. We tend to see the negative. We ask ourselves, "What's wrong with this picture?" It's human nature. The lizard brain is taking over. Our instinct puts us on the defensive. It prevents us from seeing the bright side, but the bright side is often where the solution resides. When we concentrate on what's wrong, we over analyze and come up with fixes that will take a long time or likely never be implemented. We should know what is broken for long term fixing, but when we know what we do well we have something to build upon. What's the perception at my company? Why do we call the people we do business with advertisers and not customers or partners? Why are we focused on decreasing our cancellation rate instead of increasing our retention rate? Perception is the way we look at things. When we focus on cancellation rates we focus on the negative, but if we focus on retention rates we'll look at what we're doing well. When we know what we're doing right we can spread that focus throughout the company and influence our employees and customers. Then we can make a difference and begin to effect change.

appealing to the rational and emotional

People have rational and emotional sides.  The rational side attempts to reign in the emotional side.  Some people have strong control mechanisms and others do not.  I’m reading Switch, by Chip and Dan Heath.  They refer to the rational side as the ‘rider’ and the emotional as the ‘elephant’.  It’s hard work for a rider to control an elephant, and when the elephant wants to take over the rider often doesn’t have a chance.  When presenting an idea you have to tap the audience’s elephant.  It's the only way to break through and create an urgent need. I have a dominant rational trait, and I tend to base my presentations on analytics, research and cold-hard facts.  I have been the champion of pursuing a CRM system for my company for nearly four years.  I've faced nothing but resistance.  I have presented the system from a cost benefit perspective; presenting a logical ROI.  I’ve tried to base my case on facts, but only now I realizing that I haven’t played to my audience's emotional side.  I’ve built my case rationally, but need to get the elephants involved.  I'm working on how to do this.  Right now my best idea is to produce a video presenting a dramatic example of how our customers perceive our company with the current systems we have in place.  My thought is the misery the customers and our employees face will hit home with my audience.  Their emotional side will take control of the decision and we’ll be able to move forward with the project.

strengths

I know myself.  I know my strengths and I'm aware of my weaknesses.  Aware is the key word.  I don't focus on them or try to improve them.  If you choose to focus on your weaknesses you'll improve them at the expense of your strengths. You'll be ok at your weaknesses and ok at your strengths.  You are choosing to become mediocre. Instead hire or choose to work with people who are strong where you are weak.  Concentrate on your strengths.  That's where it's at.  Focus on them.  Improve them.  Become amazing.

To find your strengths and weaknesses I recommend Strengths Finder 2.0.

leadership

I'm not a fist pounder.  I don't yell very much.  Leadership comes in different forms.  The problem is perception.  You're not vocal enough to be a leader.  You need to be a bull-dog to get things done! I build connections by listening.  People need to be heard.  Listening inspires confidence and trust.  To change the status quo you first have to understand the past.  How did we get here and why are we hanging on?  Telling yourself that people are afraid of change isn't good enough.  What brought on the fear?  Once you understand you can lead.  You can open eyes and erase the past.  It doesn't take brow-beating or screaming.  Understand.  Build confidence.  Create trust.  Make change.  That's leadership.  Build your case.  Get results.  Change the perception.